One or more embodiments relate generally to dynamic power management within a distributed network switch including a group of network switching portions. More specifically, one or more embodiments relate to monitoring utilization and/or capacity parameters of one or more switching portions within a distributed network switch and dynamically activating and/or deactivating communication at one or more of the switching portions to dynamically manage the power consumption within the distributed network switch.
Known methods of communications network power management of network switches implement power management at the individual network switches. Power management of network switches within a communications network is typically limited to minor variations in the operational state of each individual network switch because each network switch within a communications network is typically managed or maintained by distributed protocols such as spanning tree and distributed routing protocols and have limited information related to the operational state of the other network switches within the communications network. Thus, the network switches within the communications network are typically unable to efficiently manage power consumption within the communications network.